Eugene vs Salem
The short version
- Eugene is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 2% lower than in the Salem area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $416,900 in Salem and $460,400 in Eugene.
- Households earn more in Salem ($75,487 vs $66,562 median).
- Salem is growing faster: +3.6% since 2020 vs +0.7%.
- Commutes are shorter in Eugene (18 vs 22 minutes each way).
Side by side
| Eugene, OR | Salem, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 178,618 | 181,779 |
| Growth since 2020 | +0.7% | +3.6% |
| People per square mile | 4,015 | 3,714 |
| Median age | 35.2 | 36.0 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 45% | 32% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $66,562 | $75,487 |
| Median home value | $460,400 | $416,900 |
| Home value to income | 6.9× | 5.5× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,402 | $1,400 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 101.6 | 103.6 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 98.4 | 110.3 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $76,200 | $77,700 |
| Homeowners | 48% | 56% |
| Top state income tax | 9.9% | 9.9% |
| Combined sales tax | 0% | 0% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 18.4 | 22.0 |
| Work from home | 17% | 16% |
| Take public transit | 3% | 2% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 7.6% | 5.8% |
| Poverty rate | 19% | 14.4% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 48° / 35° | 48° / 36° |
| July high / low | 84° / 52° | 84° / 55° |
| Precipitation per year | 41 in | 40 in |
| Snowfall per year | 3 in | 1 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 18 | 18 |
| Nights below freezing | 52 | 49 |
| Comfortable months | 5 | 6 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively High | Relatively High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 96.4 | 95.5 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 56% | 80% |
| Home prices, past year | +4% | -0.2% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +28.6% | +27.7% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Eugene: May to September. Salem: May to October.
Full monthly tables: Eugene weather by month and Salem weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $76,200 in Eugene and $77,700 in Salem. Moving from Eugene to Salem, you would need about $76,500 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Eugene and Salem
380people moved from Lane County, OR to Marion County, OR in a year
390moved the other way
IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from Eugene and Salem.
Which would you pick?
One vote per person. Results show after you vote.